Automatic liquid dispensing nozzle

ABSTRACT

An automatic liquid dispensing nozzle wherein a lever, used to activate a control valve and regulate the rate of flow therethrough, is engaged by a holding means against the control valve, being released therefrom by automatic means upon the liquid being dispensed reaching a predetermined level, and subsequently being engaged by manual operation against a restraining member which permits the filling operation to be completed at a predetermined low rate of flow.

United States Patent Filed Inventors Eugene W. Vtst Wappingers Falls.N.Y.:

Dean C McGahey, Fishkill, N.Y.; Richard H. Griswold, Houston, Tex.

June 19, 1969 Division of Ser. \0. 671.742. Sept. 29, 1967. Pat. No.3.520.338.

June 29, 1971 Texaco Inc.

New York, NY.

Appl. No.

Patented Assignee AUTOMATIC LIQUID DISPENSING NOZZLE 1 Claim, 7 DrawingFigs.

U.S. Cl 141/128, 7

141/206, 251/284 Int. CL "I B651) 3/24, B67d 5/28, 867d 5/372 [50] Fieldof Search [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,020,940 2/1962Sutcliffe et a1 141/225 X Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr,Attorneys-K. E. Kavanagh and Thomas H. Whaley ABSTRACT: An automaticliquid dispensing nonle wherein a lever, used to activate a controlvalve and regulate the rate of flow therethrough, is engaged by aholding means against the control valve, being released therefrom byautomatic means upon the liquid being dispensed reaching a predeterminedlevel, and subsequently being engaged by manual operation against arestraining member which permits the filling operation to be completedata predetermined low rate of flow.

PATENTEU JUN29 Ian AUTOMATIC LIQUID DISPENSING NOZZLE This is a divisionofSer. No. 671,742 filed Sept. 29,. 1967.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a methodof and apparatus for dispensing a liquid into a receptacle and morespecifically to one wherein the initial filling operation isaccomplished by automatic means at a high rate of flow and the finalfilling operation is accomplished at a predetermined low flow rate,thereby allowing the receptacle to be substantially filled with littleprobability of overflow or spillage.

The usage of automatic dispensing nozzles at gasoline service stationshas greatly decreased the time required to adequately service anautomobile, since the station attendant is now free to perform otherservices while the gasoline tank is being filled. A variety of automaticdispensing nozzles are presently known and utilized in the art, withnozzles of this general variety being described in U.S. Pat. Nos.2,528,747, 2,582,195 and 3,l96,908, the disclosures of which areincorporated herein by this reference thereto.

In the operation of nozzles of this type, after the automatic tankfilling operation is completed, usually-a significant unfilled volumeremains in the average automobile tank. Service station attendants,generally, then manually engage the lever against the nozzle controlvalve in order to discharge the amount of liquid necessary to fill thetank as completely as possible. This final operation is accomplishedmost effectively at a relatively low flow rate. It is difficult,however, for the attendant to manually position and retain the leveragainst the control valve in the optimum position and complete theoperation without some overflow or spillage. To eliminate this problem,a novel device has been developed for restricting the movement of thelever, thereby enabling the tank filling operation to be completed at apredetermined low rate of flow, thereby reducing, if not eliminating forall practical purposes, the chances of wasteful and dangerous spillageof gasoline.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention herein disclosed provides aholding means for engaging a lever against a nozzle control valve,thereby permitting the discharge of fluid into a receptacle, without thenecessity for an attendant to operate the apparatus. When the liquidreaches a predetermined level in the receptacle and contact meansprovided in the nozzle, the lever is disengaged from the holding meansand the control valve is rendered inoperative. Means are provided forcompleting the filling of the receptacle at a low rate of flow byengaging the lever against a restraining member which restricts theopening of the .nozzle control valve.

The principal advantage made possible by the use of this in vention overprior art methods is that the tank may be substantially filled withoutthe familiar overflow or spillage. When the attendant attempts tocomplete the filling of the tank by means disclosed in the prior art,opening of the control valve too much causes the fluid to be dischargedat a high flow rate and almost immediately results in backup andoverflow. As a result, either the customer is inadequately serviced inthat the tank is not completely filled and/or an unwanted amount of thefluid overflows. With the apparatus herein disclosed, a substantiallyfull tank of gasoline is provided the consumer without any undesirableoverflow and spillage during normal operation.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide asimple and reliable apparatus to dispense liquid into a receptacle whichreduces the danger of spillage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel method whereinliquid is dispensed into the receptacle at a predetermined low flow rateduring the completion of the receptacle filling operation.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the invention willbecome more apparent from the following drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a side elevation, partly incross section, of a liquid dispensing nozzle with the fixed restrainingmember for the operating lever;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the nozzle with the fixed restraining membertaken approximately along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the nozzle with a fixed restrainingmember taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. I;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view showing the operating lever positionduring the automatic filling operation;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the operating lever engagingthe restraining member;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary end elevation view taken in the direction ofline 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the lever engaging the restraining member;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the restraining member.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings,the liquid dispensing nozzle, indicated generally at 10, comprises amain nozzle body 11 having a liquid conduit 12 therethrough. At therearward end of the nozzle 10, is a threaded inlet fitting 13, whichprovides a means for connection to a hose 14. The hose 14 is connectedto a pump in communication with the source, e.g. an underground tank, ofthe liquid to be dispensed. The liquid passes through the liquid conduit12 to the cavity indicated at 15-and then through the spout 16 at theforward end of the nozzle. A control valve 17 is interposed between theliquid conduit 12 and the cavity 15 in order to regulate the amount ofliquid flow. The control valve 17, comprises a valve seat indicated at18, with the opening and closing being regulated by the actuating rod19. A spring 20, seated on valve member 21 and having its upward endbearing against a cap 22, provides the self-closing mechanism for thevalve assembly. Cap 22 is provided to facilitate easy removal and repairof the control valve 17. The actuating rod 19 is engaged by an operatinglever 23 and provides the means for controlling the rate of liquid flowthrough the nozzle. A sealing member 19a is spaced about actuating rod19 to preclude any liquid leakage therethrough.

Accidental engagement of the actuating rod 19 by the operating lever 23is prevented by means of a lever guard 24, which generally is anintegral part of the main nozzle-body 11. The operating lever 23 isfulcrumed to a release plunger 25 which provides a means for releasingthe operating lever 23 from the actuating rod 19 when the dispensedliquid reaches a predetermined level. During the filling operation, whenthe liquid contacts the opening 27 of a control fitting located near thedischarge end of the spout 16, a diaphragm (herein not shown butdisclosed .in US. Pat. No. 3,196,908 is actuated, which thereby releasesthe plunger 25 and returns the operating lever 23 to the off position.Nozzle 10 may be provided further with a buffer spring 28 which engagesthe tank opening in the automobile and prevents the nozzle frominadvertently being jarred loose from the tank. The foregoingdescription of the operation of an automatic dispensing nozzle isabbreviated and for a more detailed description thereof, reference ismade to the aforementioned US. patents Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6inclusive, wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, alatch member 29 is mounted in the back opening of the lever guard 24.The latch member 29 is formed from a springlike material and provides aplurality of positions for engaging the operating lever 23, therebyholding the actuating rod 19 in the open position. As indicated in thedrawing, latch member 29 provides three positions for engaging the lever23, each of which allows a different flow rate. Upon the liquid reachinga predetermined level in the tank, release plunger 25 is actuated by adiaphragm, as previously described, lowering the forward end of theoperating lever 23 sufficiently to cause the control valve 17 to returnto the closed position and terminate the flow through the nozzle. Thisaction also generally releases the operating lever with a forcesufficient to disengage it from the latch member 29.

Restraining member 30 is attached fixedly to the back portion of thelever guard 24. As illustrated in H6. 7, the restraining member 30comprises a U-shaped bracket with mounting holes therein, which permitsfastening to a side leg of the lever guard 24.

For the automatic filling phase of the automobile tank, the lever 23 isengaged with the latch member 29 by the attendant with an upward forcein any one of the numbered positions as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Thenumbered position to be engaged is detennined by the attendant inconsidering the type of automobile to be filled and the desired rate offlow to be utilized. Position No. 1 opens the valve seat 18 the least,thereby permitting the lowest rate of flow, while the higher numberedpositions open the valve seat 18 to a greater degree and thereby permithigher flow rates.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the lever 23 is fulcrumed to the pivot pin 26with a loose fit in order to permit a sufficient transverse motion ofthe lever such that it is capable of engaging either the latch member 29or the restraining member 30. HO. 4, illustrates (by the arrow) theOperating lever 23 being moved with a transverse motion to engage thelatch member 29. Once the tank has been substantially filled and theliquid dispensed into the tank contacts the opening 27 at the end of thenozzle 10, the automatic cutoff means terminates the liquid flow throughthe nozzle. The lever 23 is returned to the off position and theautomatic filling phase of the tank is completed. The attendant thenengages the lever 23 with an upward and transverse motion, as indicatedby the arrow in FIG. 5, thereby contacting the lever 23 against therestraining member 30, as shown in FIGS. and 6. The restraining member30 may be positioned so that it will engage the lever 23 at anypredetermined flow rate. However, it is generally desirable to providefor a low flow rate during the completion of the tank filling operation,so that the vapors in the tank are displaced at a corresponding lowrate. As described previously, upon the dispensed liquid contacting theopening 27, release plunger once again disengages the lever 23 from theactuating rod 19 and thereby closes the control valve 17. If it is founddesirable by the attendant to further discharge liquid into the tank,the nozzle spout 16 may be withdrawn somewhat from the tank opening andadditional liquid discharged into the tank by engaging the lever 23 bymanual means against the restraining member 30. In the event that theattendant wishes to dispense the liquid into the tank by manual meansalone, the lever 23 may be engaged against the actuating rod 19 toachieve the desired flow rate without contacting either the latch member29 or the restraining member 30.

Thus there has been shown and described an improved method and apparatusfor dispensing liquid into a receptacle whereby the receptacle issubstantially filled with decreased probability of overflow or spillage.

Other modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbefore setforth may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof,and therefore only such limitations should be imposed as are indicatedin the appended claims.

We claim:

I. In the automatic shutoff liquid dispensing nozzle of the type havinga main body with a liquid conduit therein and a self-closing valve forcontrolling the rate of liquid flow through said conduit, a handoperated lever movable about a fulcrum in a direction for opening saidvalve, means for holding said lever against said valve in open positionduring the automatic filling operation, automatic means for operativelyreleasing said lever from said valve to render the same inoperative, theimprovement comprising l means for engaging said lever for limiting themovement t ereof to provide for partial opening of said valve for a lowrate of liquid flow therethrough,

said last named means including a lever guard extending about and in theplane of said lever, said lever guard having an opening in one extremitythrough which a free end of said lever extends, said lever guard oneither side of said opening providing side legs, said means for engagingsaid hand operated lever comprising a U-shaped member fixedly embracingsaid one of the side legs ofsaid lever guard, one leg of said U-shapedmember extending into said opening in said lever guard and having a flatsurface extending a substantial distance into said opening in the leverguard and providing a positive stop facing the free end of the lever inits said direction of movement for opening said valve, thereby torestrain said lever at said low flow position.

1. In the automatic shutoff liquid dispensing nozzle of the type havinga main body with a liquid conduit therein and a selfclosing valve forcontrolling the rate of liquid flow through said conduit, a handoperated lever movable about a fulcrum in a direction for opening saidvalve, means for holding said lever against said valve in open positionduring the automatic filling operation, automatic means for operativelyreleasing said lever from said valve to render the same inoperative, theimprovement comprising means for engaging said lever for limiting themovement thereof to provide for partial opening of said valve for a lowrate of liquid flow therethrough, said last named means including alever guard extending about and in the plane of said lever, said leverguard having an opening in one extremity through which a free end ofsaid lever extends, said lever guard on either side of said openingproviding side legs, said means for engaging said hand operated levercomprising a Ushaped member fixedly embracing said one of the side legsof said lever guard, one leg of said U-shaped member extending into saidopening in said lever guard and having a flat surface extending asubstantial distance into said opening in the lever guard and providinga positive stop facing the free end of the lever in its said directionof movement for opening said valve, thereby to restrain said lever atsaid low flow position.